Can opener



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,014

- c. H. LAMBERT CAN OPENER Filed Sept. 29, 1923 3mm/kom Cac/1. H LAMBERT ano: nu,

Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES Y j y v1 1,555,0141

vPATEN'IOFFICE. i

CECIL II. LAMBERT, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AssIGNoR To THE o. I. SCHRIVER COM- PANY, or CINCINNATI, oIIIo,`A CORPORATION OF OHIO.y

CAN OPENER.

Application led September 29, 1923, Serial No. 665,720.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CECII. I-I. LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Can Opener, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to household can openers. The various types of can openers in use have the objectionable feature of leaving a sharp, ragged edge on the container after it is opened which frequently causes injury. Another objection which eX- ists in many such implements is that they sometimes slip during the cutting process, causing injury to the user.

An object of my invention is to provide a can opener which will firmly secure itself to the rim of a can while opening the same.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which will leave a smooth, rounded edge on the can as the top section thereof is cut away, so that the contents may be removed whole, if desired.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1. is a plan View of a device of my invention. v Y

Fig. 2. is a side elevational view of the same.

Fig. 3. is an elevational view of a can showing a device of my invention in an operative position thereon.

Fig. 4. is a fragmental cross sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the depressions formed by the opener in operation.

The can opener is preferably made of sheet steel and comprises a body portion 5, of a substantially right angle cross section, whereby a flange 8 is provided, and a handle, 6, which may be formed integral therewith, and a Cutting blade, 7. The flange, 8, of the body, 5, is cut out adjacent its end and the remaining portion of the flange is developed into a pointed nger, 9. A notch, 10, is formed in the shoulder, resulting from the cutting away of the fiange. The blade, 7 is secured to the inner side of the body, 5, by any suitable means, such as rivets 11, and lies parallel with, and spaced from the side of the finger 9, sufficient to accommodate the ordinary thickness of a can wall (see Fig. 1). The cutting edge of the blade lies below the finger 9, which is slightly curved toward the blade 7 The body portion is tapered away from the flange toward blade 7.

In operation the point of the blade 7 is forced through the top 12 of the can 13 adjacent the edge 15 thereof, the blade passing through on the inside of the can, while the linger 9 lies outside of the can. The opener is then turned outward at an angle to the side of the can (see Fig. 3), which action causes finger 9 to contact the side of the can. The blade having been forced through the top 12 as far as it will go, the handle is raised. The engagement Of the finger on the side of the can provides a pivotal Contact about which the opener is moved during which movement a depression 16 is formed about. said contact point, the blade cutting the top on its upward movement through the top 12. The short newly cut edge 14 adjacent the top is turned upwardly adjacent the side of the can. When the blade has out its length around the top of the can, the finger is advanced and the next upward movement of the handle will cause the finger to form a new depression wherein it will engage for the cutting stroke the finger forming a series of depressions as shown in Fig. 4. The notch 10 is provided to accommodate the crimped edge 15 of the can. Y

The contents of a can may be removed as a unit in the case of puddings, meat loaf and the like, this being a desirable feature both for appearanceA and economy.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a can opener body of substantially right angle cross section Compris.

ing a body portion and a iiange, a cutting blade on the body portion at the end thereof, a slightly curved finger formed on the flange above and spaced from the cutting blade, the finger having a notch formed therein to accommodate the crimped edge of a can and terminating in a point, the finger point serving as a positive pivot on the side of the can by indenting the can about which the opener moves, and ahandle formed on the opener.

2. In a can opener the combination ofa body of substantially right angle Cross sec tion, having a pointed flange at its one end, end may pivot for moving the cutter through said pointed flange being arcuate, a cutter a can lid.

carried by the body and having its cutting In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 edge disposed substantially perpendicular subscribed my name this 12th day of Septo the flange, the free endl of nthe lange 4II1lOe1,l923 l adapted to engage and dent a can for prol viding a recessed seat on which said free yCECIL H. LAMBERT. 

